Live Commentary

92:12 +2.12

Genseric Kusunga concedes a free kick for a foul on Aiden McGeady. Genseric Kusunga is given a yellow card. Zhano Ananidze grabs a goal direct from the free kick from just outside the penalty area to the bottom left corner of the goal. Basle 2-3 Spartak Moscow.

Yevgeni Makeev gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Berang Safari. Xherdan Shaqiri delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from right channel, Marcos Rojo manages to make a clearance.

25:11

Unfair challenge on Yevgeni Makeev by Xherdan Shaqiri results in a free kick. Andrei Dikan restarts play with the free kick.

Alexander Frei takes the inswinging corner, clearance by Marcos Rojo. Corner taken right-footed by Alexander Frei to the near post, Shot by Valentin Stocker. Save made by Andrei Dikan.

18:16

The ball is delivered by Alexander Frei.

16:44

The ball is sent over by Xherdan Shaqiri, Andrei Dikan makes a save.

13:55

A cross is delivered by Alexander Frei, Headed effort from deep inside the area by Marco Streller misses to the left of the goal.

12:50

Berang Safari fouled by Yevgeni Makeev, the ref awards a free kick. Berang Safari restarts play with the free kick.

9:20

Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Meschini Alex from the left by-line, clearance by David Abraham. Effort from outside the penalty box by Pereira Rafael Carioca goes wide right of the target. Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Meschini Alex. Yevgeni Makeev produces a right-footed shot from just outside the area that goes harmlessly over the bar.

7:38

Unfair challenge on Berang Safari by Aiden McGeady results in a free kick. Berang Safari restarts play with the free kick.

Match Preview

Follow other Russian clubs' example - Karpin
Spartak Moscow boss Valery Karpin believes his players should look at the example set by city rivals CSKA and Zenit St Petersburg as they return to Europa League action.
Both CSKA Moscow and Zenit have won the old UEFA Cup this century, in 2005 and 2008 respectively, despite having to contend with a lack of league action during the winter.
With the Russian league ending in late November, Spartak have played only one competitive match since - their Champions League group game against Zilina on December 8.
They won that game and have recently played a run of friendly matches to build up their readiness for the Europa League last-32 clash with Swiss side Basle.
"We have seen CSKA and Zenit playing with the same schedule and winning the UEFA Cup," Karpin told uefa.com.
He nevertheless realises the situation is not ideal for Russian sides with designs on European success.
"It's difficult, not just for Spartak but for any Russian team, because there are no competitive games scheduled," said Karpin.
"In reality there is one advantage for Basle - that they will already have started to play."
Basle have also beaten Spartak in their two previous European ties, firstly in the European Cup first round in 1970 and then 2-0 both in Russia and Switzerland in the Champions League in 2002.
With both Basle and Spartak having dropped out of the Champions League this time after the group stages, the clash features two teams looking to make up for that disappointment by embarking on another European run.
Basle had a competitive warm-up for the first leg of their clash with Spartak, beating St Gallen 3-0 on Saturday to stay at the top of the Swiss Super League.
It was their second match since the winter break.
The scoreline was persuasive, however the performance was not wholly satisfying to veteran Basle midfielder Benjamin Huggel.
"Although it is a convincing result, it was a lot of hard work," Huggel told broadcaster Teleclub. "There were certain phases of our game that I cannot be satisfied with. Even in terms of tactics, some things have been forgotten. That must be better."

Formation:442Manager:

Basle

Formation: 4411Manager: Valeri Karpin

Spartak Moscow

Franco Costanzo

Markus Steinhofer

Genseric Kusunga

David Abraham

Berang Safari

Xherdan Shaqiri

Gilles Yapi Yapo

Granit Xhaka

Valentin Stocker

Alexander Frei

Marco Streller

SUBS

Yann Sommer

Scott Chipperfield

Taulant Xhaka

Adilson Cabral

Daniel Unal

Fwayo Tembo

Jacques Zoua

Home

Away

Andrei Dikan

Yevgeni Makeev

Marcos Rojo

Marek Suchy

Kirill Kombarov

Aiden McGeady

Alexander Shyeshukov

Pereira Rafael Carioca

Dmitri Kombarov

Meschini Alex

Artem Dzjuba

SUBS

Aleksandr Belenov

Nikola Drincic

Anton Khodyrev

Zhano Ananidze

Pavel Yakovlev

Filip Ozobic

Match Report

Basle implode to give Spartak initiative
Basle squandered a two-goal lead and finished with 10 men as they surrendered the momentum to Spartak Moscow in their Europa League last-32 tie, losing 3-2.
Alexander Frei and Marco Streller headed the home side into what appeared a commanding half-time advantage.
But Dmitri Kombarov and Artem Dzjuba drew the Russians level and Xherdan Shaqiri's dismissal meant it was Basle who were left clinging on - and Zhano Ananidze's last-minute free-kick completed the turnaround.
Rafael Carioca and Yevgeni Makeev were off target with long-range volleys for Spartak in the early stages, before Streller headed Frei's cross wide of the left-hand post.
Valentin Stocker met Frei's corner with a volley which was saved by Andrei Dikan before Spartak went close at the other end with a similar effort, Dzjuba's strike gathered by Basle goalkeeper Franco Costanzo.
Rafael Carioca shot over once more before Aiden McGeady was cautioned for fouling Valentin Stocker - who followed him into the book for his reaction - and the resulting free-kick from Frei was fisted away by Dikan.
Basle took the lead in the 36th minute when Frei handed over flag-kick duties to Shaqiri and instead met the delivery at the far post, powering a header into the roof of the net.
And another Shaqiri corner provided a near-identical second five minutes later, Streller this time finding the bottom corner.
The start of the second half saw little by way of goalmouth action, with only bookings for Gilles Yapi Yapo and Rafael Carioca to report before Dzjuba tried his luck on the hour - Costanzo was equal to the effort.
Spartak cut the deficit a minute later, though, with Kombarov curling a delightful effort into the bottom corner from 20 yards.
David Abraham headed a Frei corner over the bar before Spartak levelled in the 70th minute, Dzjuba meeting Alex's cross with a firm finish into the roof of the net from six yards.
Spartak began to lose their discipline after that point, with Frei lucky to escape punishment for a reckless challenge on Ananidze before Shaqiri was dismissed for lashing out at Makeev.
Frei was swiftly replaced by Fwayo Tembo before Alex drew a sharp save from Costanzo.
But the goalkeeper had no answer when Genseric Kusunga's foul on McGeady handed Ananidze the opportunity - and his 20-yard effort found the bottom corner to give Spartak the lead in the tie.